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Friday, June 16, 2006.US Senate votes down Iran Freedom and Support Act and passes weaker version.

DoctorZin reported that the Iran Freedom Support Act was to be voted on in the Senate Thursday.

Eli Lake, The NY Sun reported that faced with legislation that would force America to take a harder line on Iran, Secretary of State Rice worked closely yesterday with a key Senate Democrat to kill the Iran Freedom and Support Act.

Iran threatens to develop a "nuclear defense."

The Jerusalem Post reported that Iran's defense minister vowed his country would "use nuclear defense as a potential" if "threatened by any power."

Western promised "sticks" were delivered to Iran orally.

The New York Times reported that when a formal incentives package by six nations to encourage Iran to curb its nuclear program was presented in writing in Tehran last week, they delivered the news about the sticks — only orally.

Iran seeks to transform the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit is demonstrating aggressive anti-American bent and growing political clout.

Reuters reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad offered energy cooperation to members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.

The Financial Times reported that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called on China, Russia, and central Asian nations to resist intrusions in the region by the “domineering” US.

Putin claims Iran ready to talk.

Houston Chronicle reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Iran is ready to enter into negotiations on an offer by the U.N. powers to encourage Tehran to relinquish its nuclear fuel enrichment program.

But Iran sends a different message.

Dow Jones Newswires reported that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to resist Western pressure over his country's disputed nuclear program saying: "The Islamic Republic of Iran will not succumb to these pressures and it considers the continuation (of its nuclear program) a main objective."

The Washington Post reported that while the United States and Europe urged Iran to lift the veil of secrecy surrounding its nuclear activities and freeze uranium enrichment, Iran warned the West against undue pressure, saying "the carrot and stick has always been counterproductive."

Iran and Syria sign military agreement to counter US threats.

Yahoo News reported that the defense ministers from close allies Iran and Syria have signed an agreement for military cooperation against what they called the "common threats" presented by Israel and the United States.

Zarqawi betrayed by Iran?

GIS sources have claimed that the intelligence which led to the exact targeting of Zarqawi had been provided to Coalition Forces by one of the jihadist commander’s chief sponsors: Iran. Alan Peters provided more details.

Iranian economists warn Ahmadinejad.

Yahoo News reported that a group of 50 prominent Iranian economists have written an open letter to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, criticizing his government policies for promoting skyrocketing inflation.

West condemns Iran's attacks on peaceful demonstrators.

SOSIRAN.com published their letter to Amnesty International more asking them to condemn the recent atrocities against women in Iran.

Amnesty International condemned the Iranian security forces' violent disruption of a peaceful demonstration on 12 June by women and men advocating an end to legal discrimination against women in Iran.

Iran Focus reported a man has been hanged in a prison in the south-eastern province of Sistan-va-Baluchistan, in what many Baluchis believe is a response to a spate of attacks by dissidents on government and security officials.

Iran Focus reported that Iran’s State Security Forces have carried out nearly 80,000 “on the spot” interrogations over the past two months in the streets of Tehran alone.

DoctorZin reported that he joined a group of fellow bloggers in a tele-conference with former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky, the inspiration behind the Bush Doctrine, where he spoke of the need to support the Iranian opposition.

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